Corps maintains release to increase flood storage

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Army Corps of Engineers is extending the current release from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota to increase flood control storage heading into the spring runoff season on the Missouri River, which had record flooding this year because of heavy rain and melting snowpack.

The corps planned to cut the release on Thursday from 40,000 cubic feet per second to 20,000 cfs. The corps says Friday it will maintain the current release through Dec 7. It will then gradually decrease the rate until it reaches 20,000 cfs.

The corps’ Jody Farhat says the adjustment could provide an additional 500,000 cfs of storage by the start of the runoff season.

Farhat says precipitation this fall is below normal over most of the basin, but that could change.